44th Parl. 1st Sess.
October 25, 2023 02:00PM
- Oct/25/23 2:28:49 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I will answer that question in a moment.
I want to begin by sharing a few thoughts about Senator Shugart.
It is with incredible sadness that I rise in this place to mourn the loss of our friend and fellow parliamentarian, Senator Ian Shugart.
Senator Shugart spent his entire career in the service of others and his contributions have been invaluable.
He was an incredible clerk to the current government, and I know he was also a valuable deputy minister to the Leader of the Opposition when he was in government.
I offer my deepest condolences to his family, his friends, his Senate colleagues and his former public service colleagues.
112 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/25/23 2:30:41 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, over the years, we have helped lift 500,000 children out of poverty with the Canada child benefit, a measure that the Conservatives campaigned against. We have helped people create economic opportunities.
We know that people are struggling right now. That is why we are stepping up to help them with measures like $10-a-day child care, dental care for children and even more family allowance cheques. The Conservative Party opposed all of those measures.
We will continue to be there to help families in these difficult times. We will continue to invest in them and help them rather than making cuts like the Conservative Party is proposing.
115 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/25/23 2:32:10 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canadians are struggling with the costs of food and groceries and housing. That is why we continue to step up to support them with measures like $10-a-day child care, dental care for children and child benefit cheques, all measures that the Conservative Party has stood against.
We will continue to help Canadians. We will continue our work to lift hundreds of thousands of kids out of poverty and to lift over a million Canadians out of poverty. However, there is much more to do, and we will keep doing it instead of giving in to the Conservatives' demands for more cuts, cuts to services for Canadians and cuts to supports that people rely on.
121 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/25/23 2:33:36 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member actually cared about seniors, he would not have been part of the government that raised the retirement age, driving seniors further into poverty. We brought it back to 65. We continued to step up with supports for seniors, and we are going to continue to stand to defend their pensions as well. While his Conservative colleagues are attacking the CPP, he has finally realized that perhaps the CPP is a good thing and has come out in defence of it. This is after a decade of attacking seniors and their pensions, of attacking the CPP. We are going to continue unequivocally to stand to support seniors right across the country, unlike the Leader of the Opposition.
122 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/25/23 2:35:05 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, as the Leader of the Opposition has put forward no plan for housing, he lacks credibility on this issue. We are taking bold action to get more affordable homes built. Indeed, just today, the Minister of Housing is in British Columbia, in Kelowna, for our most recent housing accelerator announcement. This will streamline building permits and allow for high-density housing near public transit, spurring the construction of up to 20,000 new housing units over the next decade in Kelowna. We are also working with Kelowna to make city-owned lands available for housing, in partnership with non-profits, and we look forward to signing more agreements right across the country, delivering for Canadians on housing.
119 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/25/23 2:36:29 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois's attempts to reignite a debate on federal-provincial bickering continue to boggle my mind. The reality is that, of course, Quebeckers are a proud people from a proud nation ready to build a better future, but they know very well that their brightest future is within Canada.
That is why, as the Canadian government, we are here to invest in things like the Réseau express métropolitain de Montréal, Northvolt, Davie and the lithium mines, all hand in hand with the Quebec government to build a better future for all Quebeckers and all Canadians.
110 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/25/23 2:38:00 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, over the past few years, I have been very pleased to make announcements alongside Premier Legault, during which we have talked a lot about the importance of reducing the wealth gap between Quebec and the other provinces. That is because we know that Quebec is capable of doing more, and we know that Quebec is poised for economic growth.
We are here to help and support people. Canada is here to capitalize on the economic growth and leadership that Quebeckers are capable of and that they demonstrate every day. We will continue to work hand in hand with Quebeckers to build a prosperous future for all.
108 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/25/23 2:39:18 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we understand and we see first-hand how Canadians are struggling with the cost of food, groceries and housing. That is why we are taking concrete actions to support them through this, whether it be with the grocery rebate, whether it be with $10-a-day child care, whether it be with dental care that is going to support young children, whether it be with the initiatives we are taking across this country to create good jobs and economic growth, whether it be with the GST rebate cheques, or whether it be with the climate action rebate that is putting money in people's pockets right across the country.
We are going to continue to be there for Canadians, as we have been in years past, as we lifted hundreds of thousands of kids out of poverty and as we lifted over a million Canadians out of poverty.
We know that there is more work to do, and we are going to continue to do it.
168 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
Mr. Speaker, our goal is to make life more affordable and ensure that companies pay their share.
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry met with the CEOs of the big grocery chains and of domestic and international food producers to clearly explain the need for a more affordable grocery basket and improved competition.
I hope that all members will join us in expediting the passage of Bill C‑56 on affordable housing and groceries to improve competition in the food sector, among others.
85 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/25/23 2:42:18 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, all of us in the House see how Canadians are struggling. We just have different responses to it.
The Conservative Party is proposing cuts to government services, cuts to investments that are going to support seniors and cuts to investments that are going to support families, whether dental care or child care.
The Conservative Party thinks one can cut one's way to prosperity, when the reality is that our investments in child care, in dental care, in supports for seniors and in supports for students have actually helped Canadians through some difficult times. We will continue to be there for them into the coming years.
108 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/25/23 2:43:44 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know we need more supply on the housing crisis. That is why we are there investing with municipalities to deliver more housing.
In Brampton, our housing agreement was for the construction of more than 24,000 homes over the next decade. That is an investment that the Leader of the Opposition would cut. In other cities, such as Richmond Hill, Moncton and Ajax, just this week, they are passing more ambitious housing plans at their local councils in response to the federal housing accelerator.
While the Leader of the Opposition would rip up these agreements, we are focused on building solutions that will work for communities right across the country.
113 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/25/23 2:45:14 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, inflation is steadily coming down, even as we continue to sign agreements with communities across the country.
By the way, if the opposition leader cared so much about getting more homes built, he would support our affordable housing and groceries act. That legislation would remove the GST on the construction of rental homes, which housing advocates and developers have described as a game-changer. That is the relief that Canadians need. Let us keep moving these important measures forward, and let us keep getting Canadians the housing relief they need, instead of political attacks and cuts from the Conservatives.
101 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/25/23 2:46:50 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, what the Leader of the Opposition is proposing is to cut spending and supports for Canadians in the hopes that Canadians will somehow do better that way. We disagree. What Canadians need is greater investment in the supply of housing. That is why, through our agreements, we are unlocking new homes and opportunities for growth in the city of Hamilton by spurring the construction of thousands of homes over the next decade, just as we are across the country. The mayor of Hamilton actually said our housing agreement was “absolutely a big deal”, and I could not agree more.
When we work together with a strong and ambitious plan, we can get more homes built faster. While the Leader of the Opposition's plan would see these agreements ripped up and stalled, we will keep moving forward to help Canadians.
144 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/25/23 2:48:23 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we are working hand in hand with municipalities across this country, whether it is Kelowna, Hamilton, Ajax, or now Halifax, where we are continuing to move forward with investments that are going to respond to people.
I have to say that I was in Brampton just last week. As we were making another announcement about new homes coming up, we were standing on the site of a building that we announced two years ago, which would be opening its doors to new residents today.
This is what we are doing after that member was housing minister and got nothing done. We are there to invest in Canadians and build a stronger future.
114 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/25/23 2:50:06 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, while he continues to insult and slag cities and municipalities across this country, we are going to continue to work with them, just as we are working with the City of Halifax to build more homes so that locals can thrive in their community. Recently, we announced an agreement with Halifax to fast track 2,600 permitted units over the next three years, spurring the construction of thousands of homes over the next decade.
However, he wants to talk about what happened when he was housing minister. When he was housing minister, he announced $300 million and got 99 homes built. That is his record as housing minister. We are building homes right across the country, and we are doing it for real.
125 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/25/23 2:52:08 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, when I spend time in my riding in Montreal, when I spend time across Quebec, and speak with people about their concerns, whether it is about climate change, affordability, the cost of housing or the extremely difficult and unstable international situation, they no longer want to talk about sovereignty. They no longer talk to me about wanting Quebec to be its own country. What they want to talk about is how we can work together to really make their lives better.
I understand that the raison d'être of the Bloc Québécois is to pick fights and keep raising the issue of sovereignty, but we, as proud Quebeckers and proud Canadians, will continue to work hard every day for all Quebeckers and all Canadians.
131 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/25/23 2:54:03 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, according to the Bloc Québécois, sovereignty is urgent. They have been here in Ottawa for 30 years, and it has been urgent for 30 years. They keep trying to bring this up.
The reality is that we all have to work together to deliver for Quebeckers, to deliver housing, to deliver affordable groceries, to deliver a safer, cleaner planet. That is what we are working on. I work very well with the Government of Quebec and we will continue to do so. We will focus on Quebeckers' desire to build a better world, not the Bloc Québécois's desire to bicker.
111 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/25/23 2:55:28 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, it is obvious that the Leader of the Opposition and I strongly disagree. At a time when Canadians are struggling and suffering, he is proposing cuts to services and to the help that we are offering. We will continue to be there for Canadians.
The Conservative Party will always choose austerity and budget cuts in difficult times. Such cuts would lead to longer wait times in emergency rooms, higher fees for child care services, uncertainty for seniors when they retire, and no action against climate change. That is an irresponsible approach, but it is the one the Conservative Party continues to offer.
We will be there to support people, to invest in their future and to help them now.
121 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/25/23 2:56:55 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, unlike the Leader of the Opposition, we will always respect the independence of the Governor of the Bank of Canada.
As is clear from the public accounts, we have reduced the deficit without cutting the supports Canadians depend on. We have the lowest deficit in the G7 and the best net debt-to-GDP ratio, and we have maintained our AAA rating, all while inflation continues to fall.
We do not need the Conservatives' budget cuts. We can be there in a responsible way to help Canadians, create growth and maintain our fiscal responsibility. That is exactly what we are doing.
103 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/25/23 2:58:19 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are facing a housing crisis. The Conservatives' solution is to reduce the government's investments in housing.
We are choosing a different solution. We are saying that in order to bring down housing prices, we need to build more housing. That is exactly what we are doing. For example, today the City of Kelowna will simplify its building permit process and allow for greater density near public transit, which will stimulate the construction of 20,000 new housing units over the next decade.
We are here to invest and create more housing, while the Conservatives are proposing austerity and budget cuts.
104 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- menumenu
- notificationsnotifications
- home
- mailmail
- searchsearch
